“I didn’t do it!” Pepe said out loud as the police officers walked towards where he was sitting in the classroom. “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it!” His face turned pale as he noticed they were serious. He wondered if this was a nightmare, and if it was, he just wanted to wake up from it!

“Yes, he did!” Dante exclaimed with an authoritative voice as he stepped behind the policemen. “I saw him. He stole all the flower bouquets you found in the dumpster behind the principal’s office. He did it as he was walking to school this morning.”

“What?” Pepe yelled clueless.

“Yes,” Dante interrupted. “Poor woman,” he showed a sad face to everyone, “she works so hard on the streets selling those flowers. I have heard she has several small children and that’s the way she earns money to buy food and pay rent for their apartment.”

“I did not do it!” Pepe cried out. “That’s a lie!”

“No, it’s not! And that’s why I called the police the minute I saw what happened.” Dante’s face showed an expression of pride.

As the police officers walked Pepe out of the classroom, his teacher tried to intervene but couldn’t really do much. Pepe felt as if the whole world was falling on him. He couldn’t believe what was happening!

Even though the police officers were nice and gentle to Pepe, they took him to the Principal’s office—a place he didn’t like. When all the adults left the room temporarily, he sat alone in the first chair he thought looked a little comfortable. “Maybe this will be the last comfortable chair I would sit on in my entire life!” Pepe said feeling pity for himself.

As Pepe came to his senses, tears of fear and frustration started rolling down his cheeks. “What now, God?” He sobbed. “What now?” Pepe repeated. “You know I didn’t do this terrible thing!”

“Yes, we know that!” The Three Musketeers made themselves visible in front of him. Then the Holy Spirit added, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” [Proverbs 15:3]

Jesus stepped a little closer to Pepe with great compassion, “Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved.” [Matthew 10:22]

“What does this situation have to do with hate towards me because of you?” Pepe sobbed looking at Jesus in the eye.

“Dante hates me—even though I love him and died for him too—and he knows you’re my friend,” Jesus answered Pepe. “If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don’t belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and this is why its people hate you.” [John 15: 19]

“I’m so scared!” Pepe admitted. “No one in school believes me… but wait,” he paused for a second to think, “some classmates saw me walk straight to the classroom from the street…I even talked to some of them. What’s going on? Why didn’t they speak up in class?”

“Some people are afraid about identifying themselves as knowing my Son Jesus, or about being close to anyone who’s His friend,” the Father said, nodding sadly towards his Son.

“These people are known for embracing the gospel at first,” the Holy Spirit jumped in, “but since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away.” [Mark 4:17]

Jesus turned towards Pepe, “ If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don’t belong to me.” [Matthew 10: 32-33.]  Jesus paused and then added with a steady voice, “…I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6]

“I know….” Pepe whispered very pensively, and then he looked at Jesus, “You know I love you, right?”

“Indeed I do!” Jesus gave Pepe a big and loving smile.

At that moment, the Holy Spirit filled Pepe with His strength, peace, boldness, and courage.

“Wow! I feel really brave now!” Pepe exclaimed.

Suddenly the door open and the school’s principal entered with Mr. Rojas, the school’s janitor, followed by the two police officers. They couldn’t see the Musketeers in the room.

“Well, young man…” the principal started, “it seems that you have a witness in your favor here. Mr. Rojas says that he was working near the dumpster area early this morning and he didn’t see you at all there, but he says that he saw Dante instead…I guess we’ll need to have a serious conversation with that young man!”

Pepe was released, and later that day before he headed home, he went looking for Mr. Rojas. After thanking him for coming to his rescue, Pepe asked him, “Why did you help me?”

“It was the right thing to do,” Mr. Rojas replied. “That’s what God wants us to do, the just and right thing according to truth.”

“Aren’t you afraid others will know you’re a friend of Jesus? Some people can be very mean because of that!” Pepe said.

“Oh Pepe, remember what Jesus said,” Mr. Rojas smile, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [Matthew 5: 10-12]

Suddenly, both Pepe and Mr. Rojas heard Jesus in their hearts through the Holy Spirit, “If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.” [Matthew 10: 39]

Related Bible reading:
John 16 :33
Matthew 10 :28
Revelation 2 :10